Carburetor



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B. 1:5. STEVENS CAHBURETQR original Filed April iO, 1916 HHIIIIIIIIIIIII Patented oa. 1s, v1927.

UNITED .STAT-Es .i 1,646,043 PATENT OFFICE.

BURT D. STEVENS, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOISfASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTHS TO WIL- LIAM V. '.KEI.|ILIE|`Y, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. v L

CARBURETOR.

Application led April 10, 1916, Serial N0. 470,947. Renewed May 19, 1921.

My invention relates to means for atomizing combustible liquids such, for instance, as fuel feeding means orinternal combustion engines and has partlcular reference to novel mechanism adapted to the feeding of the high boiling point hydrocarbons to an engine in such manner as to insure complete combustion and consequent hlgh eiiiciency. More accurately stated, the invention relates to simple and novel means for atomizing or treating hydrocarbons 1n a manner such that when the treated hydrocarbons are presented to air in proper proportions a combustible mixture 1s' p rovlded which will insure complete combustion.

As is well known, the hydrocarbons having a boiling point higher than that of gasi oline, and particularly kerosene, 'are highly efiicient when properly treated prior to their combustion. Kerosene does not vaporlze at normal temperatures and difficulty has been experienced in sub-dividing the same to an extent sufficient t-o form an explosible mechanical mixture of hydrocarbon and 'a1r. In the present mechanism I have provided not only for'they heating of the hydrocarbon to assist in vaporization, but for the minute sub-division of the hydrocarbon and the delivery of the same into the incoming current of air in the form of a mist or extremely line spray. The result is secured by providing two co-acting members having flat.

surfaces and being in substantial contact, one of which members is adapted to be rotated at a high speed, the hydrocarbon being delivered at substantially the axis of rotaj tion of said member. Inasmuch as the surfaces of the relatively rotatable members are substantially in grinding engagement with each other, it. will be seen lthat the only hydrocarbon delivered at the periphery is delivered by centrifugal force and is sprayed or delivered in the form of a mist or fog. Preferably also the. stationary' member is heated. by an electrical resistance element. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the speed of rotation of the rotatable member and the heat applied to assist in vaporization are varied in direct proportion to the throttle opening or, in other Words, to'the power required. Preferably also means are provided for heating the re` sistance element prior to the starting of the engine and independently of t-he operation of the motor.

The invention will be more readily .understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a section through a carburetor or oil-feeding device constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic outline of the wiring arrangement contemplated by me.

In the drawings, it will be seen that I' have provided a casing 10,. within which a thrpttle 11 is mounted. The outlet 12 on the caslng is connected to the intake manifold of the engine. the entrance ofV atmospheric air. Mounted in the entrance `and supported by the cap 14, 1s astationary disc 15, having therein a plurality of resistance wires 16. A'fuel supply pipe 17 terminates at the axis of the disc 15. Superposed on the disc 15 is a disc 18, rigidly secured to the armature shaft 19 of a motor 20. The armature shaft 19 is supported in bearings 19a and 19.b so as tov permit a .slight amount of longitudinal movement of said shaft. The arrangement is such that hydrocarbon fed by gravity to The inlet 13 provides for I the pipe 17 is held againstescape by the cooperation of the fiat surfaces of the discs 15, 1 8. However, when the engine is in operation the motor 2O is rapidly rotating the disc 18 and the liquid between the discs, under the weight of disc 18 and parts there- "above, is in effect given a grinding treatment and thereby pressed toward the periphery of the discs and is delivered at the periphery in the form of a mist or very'iine spray. The heat supplied by the resistance element reduces the viscosity of the hydrocarbon and also results in the formation of a product which will readily atomize and which' will combine with the air entering through the inlet 13 to form an explosible mixture. It will be observed that the shaft device and is one wherein the throttle 11 is connected by means of a lever 21 to an operating rod 22. A link 23 connects the throttle lever to a yoke 24., which controls simultaneously the rheostats 25, 26. These rheostats control respectively the motor 20- and the heating element 16, the amount of current supplied to each being in direct proportion to the extent of throttle opening; that is, as the motor runs faster more current is `supplied to the resistance unit. To assist in starting, I may provide the hand vswitch 27, which completes the circuit through the resistance element and heats the stationary disc 15 prior to the beginning of the fuel feeding operation. The control of the amount of fuel which is to be fed may be effected both by the extent of the amount the rotating disc is permitted to move above the fixed plate and by pressure exerted between the discs and by the speed of the motor, and while it may not be found essential in some types of engine to vary the s eed of the motor according to the extent o opening of the' throttle, such arrangement is thought to be desirable. l

The mechanism herein shown is more or less diagrammatic in form, no attempt having been made to follow a strict design. Obviously, therefore, the invention is not limited to the form or arrangement of the parts except as indicated in the appended claims, and while I have illustrated my invention as embodied in fuel feeding means for oil burning engines, yet it will be understood that my invention is adapted for. use wherever it may be desired to employ atomized combus tible liquids.

I claim:

1. In a carburetor, the combination of a casing having inlet and outletv openings, a throttle valve near said outlet opening, fuel feeding means near said inlet opening, said last-named means including a plate, means for supplying heat to said plate, means for supplying the liquid to said plate at a point near the axis thereof, a rotatable member having a surface adapted to bear against said plate and to be separated therefrom,

.means for rotating said rotatable member at a variable speed, and means connected to.

said throttle valve to regulate the speed of the rotating member.

2. In a carburetor, the combination of a casing having air inlet and outlet openings, a throttle valve, a plate disposed within said casing, v means'for heating said plate, means for supplyingV the fluid fuel to the center of said plate, a disc having asurface adapted to bear against said plate, a motor for rotating said disc, and means connecting said throttle, motor and heating means whereb as said throttle is opened, the speed of said motor is increased and the heating capacit of said heating unit is likewise increase substantially as described.

3. In a device for. carbureting air, the combination of a plurality of members, one relativelymovable with respect to the other, means whereby one is floatably mounted with respect to the other, and said members substantially having surface contact whereby a hydrocarbon fed therebetween is subjected to a grinding action for dividing same into finely divided particles preparatory to forming a combustible mixture, and means for feeding hydrocarbon between said members.

4. In a device for carbureting air, the combination of a plurality of members, one rotatably movable with respect to the other, means whereby one is f loatably mounted with respect to the other, and said members substantially having surface contact whereby a hydrocarbon fed therebetween is subjected to a grinding action for dividing same into finely divided particles preparatory to .forming a combustible mixture, and means for feeding hydrocarbon between said members. 5. In a device for carbureting air, the combination of Aa plurality of members, one relatively movable with respect to the other, means whereby one is floatably mounted with respect to the other, and said members substantially having surface contact whereby a hydrocarbon fed therebetween is subjected to a grinding action for dividing same into finely divided .particles preparatory to forming a combustible mixture, means for feeding hydrocarbon between said members, and means -whereby the. relative speed of said. relatively movable members may be varied(I for varying the effect of dividing the particles.

6. In a device forcarbureting air, the

combination of a plurality of members, one

April, A.. D. 1916. f

BUR'r- D. STEVENS. 

